ibn-e-mariyam hua kare koi as a political poem

[bekas Murray]

Don't know what state of mind ghalib was in when he wrote this poem or whether he has commented on it but it seems like it can be taken as a statement on politics and leaders.

The messiah complex of leaders and their failure to address the problems of the people:
ibn-e-mariyam huā kare koī

mere dukh kī davā kare koī


Committing atrocities under the cover of constitution:
shar.a o aa.iin par madār sahī

aise qātil kā kyā kare koī


Pride:
chaal jaise kaḌī kamān kā tiir

dil meñ aise ke jā kare koī


censorship and propaganda:
baat par vaañ zabān kaTtī hai

vo kaheñ aur sunā kare koī


The common man's condition:
bak rahā huuñ junūñ meñ kyā kyā kuchh

kuchh na samjhe ḳhudā kare koī


what one can personally do:
na suno gar burā kahe koī

na kaho gar burā kare koī



rok lo gar ġhalat chale koī

baḳhsh do gar ḳhatā kare koī


Realization that everyone has their troubles and axes to grind and that it is unreasonable to expect that someone else can provide relief to everyone
kaun hai jo nahīñ hai hājat-mand

kis kī hājat ravā kare koī


What have leaders done to those they led (the leaders took the benefits that they were supposed to pass on to those being led)
kyā kiyā ḳhizr ne sikandar se

ab kise rahnumā kare koī


What is there to complain about if there is no reason to expect.
jab tavaqqo.a hī uTh ga.ī 'ġhālib'

kyuuñ kisī kā gila kare koī

[Raj Kumar]

Post by bekas Murray
Don't know what state of mind ghalib was in when he wrote this poem or whether he has commented on it but it seems like it can be taken as a statement on politics and leaders.
ibn-e-mariyam huā kare koī
mere dukh kī davā kare koī
shar.a o aa.iin par madār sahī
aise qātil kā kyā kare koī
chaal jaise kaḌī kamān kā tiir
dil meñ aise ke jā kare koī
baat par vaañ zabān kaTtī hai
vo kaheñ aur sunā kare koī
bak rahā huuñ junūñ meñ kyā kyā kuchh
kuchh na samjhe ḳhudā kare koī
na suno gar burā kahe koī
na kaho gar burā kare koī
rok lo gar ġhalat chale koī
baḳhsh do gar ḳhatā kare koī
Realization that everyone has their troubles and axes to grind and that it is unreasonable to expect that someone else can provide relief to everyone
kaun hai jo nahīñ hai hājat-mand
kis kī hājat ravā kare koī
What have leaders done to those they led (the leaders took the benefits that they were supposed to pass on to those being led)
kyā kiyā ḳhizr ne sikandar se
ab kise rahnumā kare koī
What is there to complain about if there is no reason to expect.
jab tavaqqo.a hī uTh ga.ī 'ġhālib'
kyuuñ kisī kā gila kare koī

------

***We don't know what was going through Ghalib's mind when he wrote this Ghazal, Bekas sahib, but your take on it is truly enlightened.

R.K.***

[bekas Murray]

Post by Raj Kumar

Post by bekas Murray
Don't know what state of mind ghalib was in when he wrote this poem or whether he has commented on it but it seems like it can be taken as a statement on politics and leaders.
ibn-e-mariyam huā kare koī
mere dukh kī davā kare koī
shar.a o aa.iin par madār sahī
aise qātil kā kyā kare koī
chaal jaise kaḌī kamān kā tiir
dil meñ aise ke jā kare koī
baat par vaañ zabān kaTtī hai
vo kaheñ aur sunā kare koī
bak rahā huuñ junūñ meñ kyā kyā kuchh
kuchh na samjhe ḳhudā kare koī

Here in fact he seems to be referring to his earlier shers in the ghazal that hopefully no one will get what he has been saying (since he probably does not wish to deal with all the trouble that may follow such understanding)

Post by Raj Kumar

Post by bekas Murray
na suno gar burā kahe koī
na kaho gar burā kare koī
rok lo gar ġhalat chale koī
baḳhsh do gar ḳhatā kare koī
Realization that everyone has their troubles and axes to grind and that it is unreasonable to expect that someone else can provide relief to everyone
kaun hai jo nahīñ hai hājat-mand
kis kī hājat ravā kare koī
What have leaders done to those they led (the leaders took the benefits that they were supposed to pass on to those being led)
kyā kiyā ḳhizr ne sikandar se
ab kise rahnumā kare koī
What is there to complain about if there is no reason to expect.
jab tavaqqo.a hī uTh ga.ī 'ġhālib'
kyuuñ kisī kā gila kare koī

------
***We don't know what was going through Ghalib's mind when he wrote this Ghazal, Bekas sahib, but your take on it is truly enlightened.

Shukriya raj sahib.

Post by Raj Kumar
R.K.***

[Zoya]

Post by Raj Kumar
***We don't know what was going through Ghalib's mind when he wrote this Ghazal, Bekas sahib, but your take on it is truly enlightened.
R.K.***

Bekas sahib, I second Prof RK's statement that your take on this Ghalib ghazal is enlightened, and enlightening if I may add. Thank you.

_________Zoya

[bekas Murray]

Post by Zoya

Post by Raj Kumar
***We don't know what was going through Ghalib's mind when he wrote this Ghazal, Bekas sahib, but your take on it is truly enlightened.
R.K.***

Bekas sahib, I second Prof RK's statement that your take on this Ghalib ghazal is enlightened, and enlightening if I may add. Thank you.

Thank you. It was your quotation of one of the shers from this ghazal in the discussion on laat'alluqi that made me go look at the whole ghazal.

Post by Zoya
_________Zoya

[Zoya]

Post by bekas Murray
Thank you. It was your quotation of one of the shers from this ghazal in the discussion on laat'alluqi that made me go look at the whole ghazal.

Yes Bekas sahib, "na suno gar buraa kahe koii" she'r immediately came to my mind when thinking about the three wise monkeys. You were right to point out that this idea is more applicable in a personal context, as is the she'r following it, "rok lo gar ghalat chale koii". I have always thought of these two as a pair, sort of a q'ita.

I have also thought of and quoted the matla 'ibn-e-Mariam' often, the last time being this past Christmas. Sometimes I think of it in a global sense, as I did on Christmas day, sort of wishing for an "avtaar in kalyug", as we say. I also think of this she'r in times of personal grief, when I want a messenger of some higher power to bail me out. That is the beauty of Ghalib's poetry, 'baadaa_Khwaar' or not, he is a 'vali' for sure!

A few weeks ago, I attended a Zoom webinar where Prof Fran Pritchett was the main speaker. Ghalib is her favorite poet, and she has done extensive research on him. I am a huge fan of hers and was in awe just listening to her. One of the asha'ar she particularly mentioned is from this ghazal, "kaun hai jo nahiiN hai haajat-mand", her take on it was profound. I would paraphrase it, but don't quite remember the exact verbiage Prof Pritchett used and don't want to misrepresent. I should have taken notes. :)

Thanks again,

_________Zoya